Chapter Text
Tim is...kind of a ghost? I mean, okay, more explanation is probably needed. When Tim was 7 - his parents had left him alone for the first time! And he was bored...so logically he went out into his garden and found a waterfall. Truly it was breathtaking but Tim had just read a pirate story and was more intrigued on what might be behind it, so he found out. Well, first he took his shoes and socks off, rolled up his trousers and then he ventured into the waterfall. Sure enough there was a cave, and his camera had a light on it...so he went in further. And further, and further, and further...until he got lost. And was cold, tired and hungry.
"Percy Jackson lied, adventures suck!" Tim complained to no one in particular, I mean how dare his favorite books lie to him about how fun adventures are? It's a note worthy betrayal. He was about to give up and accept his fate here forevermore when he saw a light - not like that, like...a shining reflective light. Of course he went towards it. "Hello?..." He asked in his politest tone ever that he usually reserved for gala's.
"A child?"
A voice from in the shadows echoed, for some reason Tim felt as though it was looking at him directly.
"My name's Tim!" He introduced himself, looking around at the shiny crystals around and the shadows that coated the cave.
"An alive child?"
It asked, the shadows shifted slightly. Like they were gathering together and forming shape.
"Uhm...yeah, im alive...?" Tim answered as politely as he can in his confusion, for some reason he figured this figure itself wasn't exactly alive.
"I am the goddess Melinoë."
She told him as the shadows formed into a beautiful woman, she had regale greek chiton (Tim learned the different traditional greek clothings in history) in a lovely grey that faded to white, her hair was of long inky black and her eyes were...reflectively cloudy. She perfectly embodied a ghostly goddess.
"The...goddess of ghosts and nightmares?" Tim asks, recalling some information he learned from books on greek mythology that his mother had gifted him.
"Smart child."
She said, almost approvingly as she knelt down to his height. Looking him up and down curiously.
"Where are your guardians, child?"
She asked him, noting how young he is and that he probably shouldn't be here on his own.
"Uhm...Egypt I think?" Tim told her, remembering what his parents told him before they left a few weeks ago.
"That...is far."
She conceded, her concern deepening when Tim nodded in agreement.
"They should not leave a child alone."
She stated, carefully grabbing Tim's right hand with one of hers. The other hand hovered over his palm and for a brief moment it stung; a cold, frostbite kind of pain. Then an imprint of a cresent moon glowed in the light like how it would under a UV light.
"You shall be under my guidance now, my star."
She said softly, patting his head like he was one to be cherished...then she faded into the shadows again and sent him on his way. This time he didn't get lost, he just...knew where to go, like instinct.
That night he didn't have any nightmares or wake until the morning, he figured he has a certain goddess to thank for that.